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☆ E-Commerce and the Influencer Economy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-21 | by ( Annemarie Conte | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Wirecutter, The Times’s product recommendation service, tests many of the wares that clog Americans’ social media feeds. In today’s newsletter, I’ll explain how e-commerce, a $6 trillion global industry, became choked with junk. Paid to sellOnline shopping can expose people to a greasy influencer economy. When an influencer’s follower clicks a link and buys something, the influencer makes money. That’s why people on your social media feed are crowing about their 10 favorite Amazon finds or talking about how an expensive gizmo has changed their life.

Organizations: Brands

Within days, millions of TikTok videos using music from Universal artists went mute, and since then guessing which side would blink first has become a media-business parlor game. Backing this up, one study found that TikTok users reported experiencing higher levels of flow than Instagram users. Corey Basch, who analyzed 100 popular TikTok videos with the hashtag mentalhealth for a 2022 study, emerged concerned about the looping effect of the algorithm. Cerave Sales increased by more than 60 percent in 2020 after skin care became a lockdown pastime and TikTok users discovered the drugstore mainstay. Cat Crack Catnip It briefly sold out in 2021 after TikTok users posted videos of their cats going crazy for it.

Persons: randos, TikTok, you’ve, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, ”, “ Wonka, Barbie, “ Oppenheimer, —, goofing, cavorting, Sue Fleishman, Z’s Walter Cronkite, Spehar, Donald J, Trump, he’s, Caitlin Clark’s, Joe Biden, Justin Bieber, Abbie Richards, Richards, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Fleetwood Mac, Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Drake, Swift, ByteDance, can’t, Mark Warner, hasn’t, Al, ear on, Li Organizations: Fleetwood Mac, Facebook, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, White, Pew Research Center, YouTube, The New York Times, Kansas City Chiefs, Media, Colgate, Universal Music Group, ByteDance, Intelligence Committee, e Locations: United States, Beijing, Biden’s, TikTok, Singapore, View, Calif, China, American

☆ I toured Google's new $2.1 billion office in NYC. Here are the 15 coolest things I saw.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Madeline Park | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Madeline ParkThe natural wood yoga studio is right around the corner from the gym and has a calming glow of light. Madeline ParkThe items at the store ranged from T-shirts ($30), jackets (~$100), tumblers ($15), and children's books. Madeline ParkThe actual cafeterias at Google's new office are the ultimate benefit and charm of working here. The coworking spacesThis coworking space is called "ROYGBIV," an acronym for the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The Google office at St. John's Terminal is so big that I didn't get to explore all of it.

Persons: Madeline Park, —, Park, café, Madeline, Klara, Patricia Urquiola, there's Organizations: Google, Hudson, Service, Americano, Recreation, YouTube Locations: York City, Hudson, New York City, chai, Spanish, St

☆ I toured Google's new $2.1 billion office in NYC and it's like an all-inclusive wellness resort — see inside
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-27 | by ( Madeline Park | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

Madeline ParkThe natural wood yoga studio is right around the corner from the gym and has a calming glow of light. Madeline ParkThe items at the store ranged from T-shirts ($30), jackets (~$100), tumblers ($15), and children's books. Madeline ParkThe actual cafeterias at Google's new office are the ultimate benefit and charm of working here. The coworking spacesThis coworking space is called "ROYGBIV," an acronym for the colors of the rainbow: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet. The Google Office at St. John's Terminal is so big that I didn't get to explore all of it.

☆ I've been to 35 all-inclusive resorts. Here are 10 mistakes I always see first-timers make.
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Kelly Magyarics | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

I've stayed at all-inclusive resorts around the world and seen first-timers make the same mistakes. AdvertisementVacationing at an all-inclusive resort is very appealing for many travelers — and with good reason. As a travel writer, I've been to dozens of all-inclusive resorts in the Caribbean, Mexico, the Maldives, and more. Not tippingSpeaking of tipping, I'm well aware that some all-inclusive resorts invite guests to "leave their wallets at home." AdvertisementOrdering drinks wrongYou have access to lots of drinks at all-inclusive resorts, but not all of them are good.

Persons: I've, —, Kelly Magyarics, you've, Stanley Organizations: Service, tote Locations: Caribbean, Mexico, Maldives

The mini totes are offered in four colors — blue, red, green, and yellow — and they are all in high demand. Videos shared on social media show crowds of customers visiting Trader Joe’s stores hoping to get their hands on one of the highly-coveted mini totes. “Our Mini Canvas Tote Bags certainly sold more quickly than we anticipated,” said Nakia Rohde, a spokesperson for Trader Joe’s. Of course, Trader Joe’s mini totes aren’t the first to become a viral sensation. “We do have more Trader Joe’s Mini Canvas Tote Bags coming,” said Rohde.

Persons: ”, Nakia Rohde, Joe’s, Rohde, Huy, Stanley, Wyatte Organizations: eBay, Facebook, “, AP, Philips Locations: Monrovia , California, Huy Fong, New York

☆ The ‘Sephora kid’ trend shows tweens are psyched about skincare. But their overzealous approach is raising concerns
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-12 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Tweens gravitate to Sephora and Ulta for the same reason that adult shoppers do. Carlo Allegri/ReutersThe retinol products sold in beauty products stores, she said, are for mature skin of older consumers. The beauty products chain also operates several hundred smaller format Sephora stores inside of Kohl’s department stores. Jennifer O’Brien celebrated her twin daughters’ 12th birthday at an event held at a Sephora store in Long Island, New York. Jennifer O’Brien's treated her twin daughters to a skincare event for their birthday this year at a Sephora store.

Persons: New York CNN — Tweens, skincare, ”, Lauren Penzi, gravitate, “, Stacey Tull, Tull, “ Retinol, it’s, Carlo Allegri, Penzi, she’s, Ulta, tweens, She’s, ” Penzi, Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, Jennifer O’Brien, Jennifer O’Brien Ulta, O’Brien, Stanley, JC Penney, Jennifer O’Brien's, Jennifer O’Brien “, Gen Alpha, Sheryl Jorgensen Masowdi’s tween, Sheryl Jorgensen Masowdi, Masowdi Organizations: New, New York CNN, Gen Alpha, CNN, influencers, ”, Gen Locations: New York, Sephora, New York City, Missouri, Manhattan, United States, Long Island , New York

☆ Shoppers are scrambling to get their hands on Trader Joe's $3 mini tote bags, leading to a lucrative online resale market
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-11 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewTrader Joe's mini tote bags have only been on sale for a couple of weeks — and they've already sparked a lucrative online resale market. Hundreds of people have already bought the mini tote bags from the online marketplace. "The size is ideal for smaller shopping trips, to pick up those few items you forgot the first time around," Trader Joe's says in the product description. Probably not," one TikToker said in a video of her mini tote. Have you bought a mini tote bag from Trader Joe's?

Persons: —, they've, Stanley, Joe's, Quencher, Alphas Organizations: Service, Business, eBay

☆ These viral $2.99 Trader Joe’s tote bags are being resold for as much as $500 on eBay
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-10 | by ( Eva Rothenberg | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

New York CNN —A Trader Joe’s canvas mini tote bag that costs about the same as a pack of gum is being resold online for nearly 200 times its retail price. The Trader Joe’s bags, available in blue, red, green and yellow, have taken social media by storm in the past week, garnering more than 11 million views on Tik Tok. The viral Trader Joe's mini canvas tote bag. From Trader Joe'sSome have been reselling the bags on e-commerce platforms like eBay and Facebook Marketplace. As of Sunday afternoon, hundreds of mini tote bags have been posted on eBay with prices ranging from $5 to $500.

Persons: Tik, ”, “, Stanley tumblers, Stanley Organizations: New, New York CNN, eBay, Facebook, tote, CNN, Target, Shoppers Locations: New York, Iowa, New Jersey

☆ Stanley has a plan to stop online chaos and scalpers from ruining its product launches
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Geoff Weiss | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Stanley cups have been wreaking havoc at Target stores and tearing tween relationships apart. AdvertisementWith Stanley cups stoking utter chaos among desperate Target shoppers (and employees) — and tearing apart middle schools — the brand is looking for ways to calm the fervor around its limited-edition launches. tumbler comes in an "ornate" striped box, according to Stanley, featuring a "rich ganache powdercoat finish" and gold accents. Advertisement"One of our priorities is to prevent bots and resellers from depleting stock meant for our genuine fans," Stanley said. Stanley SVP Matt Navarro told CNN he hopes the changes the company made "provide all consumers with a wider aperture and more user-friendly [online] experience to get the Stanley products they love."

Persons: Stanley, —, tumbler, EQL, they'd, Andrew Lipp, Matt Navarro Organizations: Service, CNN, PMI Worldwide, Nike Locations: Australia

☆ Stanley cup maker has a plan to make its product launches less chaotic
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-01 | by ( Parija Bhatnagar | Parija Kavilanz | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

It’s because the Stanley tumbler is arguably one of the most viral products of the moment. So Stanley maker PMI has taken a different approach with its newest limited edition tumbler launch of the much-hyped chocolate and gold Quencher. The new chocolate gold Stanley tumbler. From StanleyOn Tuesday, Stanley unveiled the limited-edition chocolate gold Quencher tumbler on its website. When Target dropped a limited-edition Valentine’s collection of Stanley tumblers in bright pink and cherry red tones in December, the situation wasn’t pretty.

Persons: New York CNN — Stanley, Stanley tumbler, it’s, Stanley, Nike —, ” Andrew Lipp, ”, ” Lipp, William Stanley, Jr, marveled, Stanley tumblers, ” Matt Navarro, Lipp Organizations: New, New York CNN, Stanley, PMI, Nike, CNN, “, Starbucks Locations: New York, Australia

☆ They’re the Stanley Cup Champions. And That’s a Lot of Mugs.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Hiroko Tabuchi | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Stanley Tumbler, this year’s smash hit, is, at first glance, a win for the planet. Unlike the throwaway plastic bottles it’s meant to replace, it doesn’t generate mountains of plastic trash. “Some millennials or Gen-Z are already embarrassed to carry a Stanley,” said Casey Lewis, who writes the trendspotting newsletter, After School. Stanley sold an estimated 10 million “Quencher” water tumblers in 2023, and the company’s total sales for that year are expected to have reached $750 million, up from less than $100 million in 2020. The #StanleyCup hashtag has been viewed billions of times on TikTok.

Persons: Stanley Tumbler, ”, Casey Lewis, Stanley, hashtag Locations: TikTok

☆ Stanley Tumblers Contain Lead. Owala, Hydro Flask Pounce.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-03 | by ( Dominick Reuter | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewThe news that Stanley's insulated stainless steel cups contain lead sparked a frenzy of concern on social media about the potential health risks for consumers. Stanley acknowledged in a statement that it uses "an industry standard pellet" that contains "some lead" to seal the vacuum insulation of its tumblers. We want to assure you that Hydro Flask does not use lead in our vacuum sealing process," HydroFlask said in a post on Threads earlier this week. Marketing experts told Business Insider this is a smart strategic move for companies seeking to differentiate themselves from Stanley and win over customers. And lead is still bad for manufacturing workers and the environment — it's just not a significant health risk for Stanley customers.

Persons: —, Stanley, hasn't, Jack Caravanos, HydroFlask, Anita Rao, Rao, Bruce Clark, They're, isn't, nibble Organizations: Service, Business, New York, Washington Post, Hydro, Georgetown University, Northeastern University, NBC Locations: New York University, Oregon

☆ I'm a millennial who's obsessed with Stanley cups. They remind me of collecting 'Harry Potter' books, and I even bought some on my wedding day.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-02 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewThis as-told-to article is based on a conversation with Kaitlin Gostel, a 29-year-old academic in Florida who collects Stanley cups. However, the feeling reminds me of getting Beanie Babies, Tamagotchis, or, most importantly, "Harry Potter" books. When waiting for both "Harry Potter" books and Stanley cups, we all get these nervous butterflies. So at 6 p.m., after saying my vow, I ran into the bathroom and purchased four different Stanley cups on my phone. However, they are built to last, and watching the video of a Stanley cup surviving a car fire, I'm like, "Geez, these things are insurance.

Persons: —, Kaitlin Gostel, Stanley, I'm, Harry Potter, Barnes, Noble, I've, he'll, you've, it's, Stanley Quenchers, Brian van der Organizations: Service, Starbucks, Business, Target, Stanley, eBay Locations: Florida, Korea, Starbucks Korea, Italy

☆ Stanley announces new limited-edition collab with the NBA's Utah Jazz
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-31 | by ( Nicolas Vega | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Ticketholders will be the first to have access to the limited-edition cups, which will be available in both black and white. The Utah Jazz will be selling exclusive Stanley Quenchers emblazoned with the Jazz logo at the team's next home game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Sunday, February 4. The drop is part of a multi-year agreement between Stanley and the Jazz. Stanley is particularly popular in Utah. If Stanley's recent drops are any indication, the Jazz cups should be a hot commodity.

Persons: Stanley, Stanley Quenchers, Lainey Wilson, Joanna Gaines Organizations: Delta Center, Jazz, Utah Jazz, Milwaukee Bucks, Starbucks, eBay, HGTV Locations: Utah

☆ A Lead Scare Strikes Stanley Tumblers, but You Don’t Need to Worry
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-30 | by ( Sopan Deb | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

They’ve become a fashion accessory, especially since the company that makes the cups, Stanley 1913, has made use of influencer culture to target women and make the tumbler’s sales skyrocket. The reach of the bottles has been amplified by social media users. But social media giveth and social media taketh away. Some Stanley owners, hoping to check the claims, started to use home lead-testing kits, which experts say are not reliable. A sendup of the Stanley cup phenomenon on “Saturday Night Live” over the weekend — a sketch called “Big Dumb Cups” — even mentioned the lead in passing.

Persons: Stanley tumbler, They’ve, Stanley, ” YouTubers, —

☆ How Stanley went from making sturdy bottles for laborers to becoming an 'it' status symbol, and causing chaos at Target stores across the US
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-27 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +10 min

"Every time we linked it, it would sell out so quickly," LeSueur told The New York Times. The Buy Guide had to pay for warehouse space and shipping and handling fees, but was allowed to keep the profits, The Times reported. "It was a big risk," LeSueur told CNBC. AdvertisementThe Buy Guide placed another wholesale order for 5,000 – and they sold out in an hour, Retail Dive reported. Reilly told CNBC that Stanley was making more products available with each drop but still wanted "a little bit of scarcity" to create a buzz.

Persons: —, Stanley, They've, Alphas, William Stanley Jr, Grace Dean, restocking, Ashlee LeSueur, Taylor Cannon, Linley Hutchinson —, LeSueur, Emily Maynard, Maynard, Terence Reilly, Reilly, he'd, Crocs, Frederic J . Brown, TikTokers, Bon Appétit, Stanley's Quenchers, Lainey Wilson, aren't, Gen Zers, Alpha, Casey Lewis, Lewis, –, Zers, they'll, Grace Mary Williams, it's, Kaitlin Gostel, Barnes, Noble, Harry Potter, Gostel, I've Organizations: Service, Business, Instagram, New York Times, CNBC, Times, The Times, Wall Street, Getty, Target, Starbucks Locations: Brooklyn, workdays, Crocs, AFP, Pendleton

☆ Stanley and other drink cups contain lead. Should you be worried?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —First, Stanley cups were all over social media because so many people wanted them. Videos on social media sites such as TikTok show people breaking out a lead testing kit and trying it on their Stanley cups and other travel flasks. And Stanley cups are everywhere. Stanley cups are in the hands of beauty bloggers, the cars of parents at school pickup, and even on the Christmas lists of many kids this past year. The main source of lead exposure in the United States comes from inhaling dust or eating particles contaminated by paint chips.

Persons: Stanley, ”, Jane Houlihan, ” Houlihan, It’s, “, CPSC, Patty Davis, ” Davis, Olga Naidenko, Naidenko Organizations: CNN, Stanley, Pacific Market, “, US Centers for Disease Control, Healthy, US Consumer Product Safety, Amazon, US Environmental Protection Agency, CPSC, US Consumer Product, Safety Commission, CDC, Environmental Protection Agency Locations: Washington, DC, United States

☆ I love my Stanley cup, and all of you are making me embarrassed to have one
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Juliana Kaplan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Everyone is losing their minds over Stanley Cups, a mashup of an oversize cup and water bottle. AdvertisementIf you've been on any corner of the Internet recently, you've encountered them: The Stanley Cups . As Stanley mania peaks , I am here to weigh in: I love my Stanley Cup, and all of you need to chill out. AdvertisementI admit that the internet and influencers are partially the reason I have a Stanley Cup in the first place. Some fans are amassing huge Stanley Cup collections, like the influencers who showcase rows of colorful, giant cups .

Persons: Stanley, —, you've, They're, it's, Stanley —, that's, I've Organizations: Service, CNBC, tote

☆ A 16-year-old claims her parents have spent $3,000 buying her 67 different Stanley cups, as the giant mugs become the ultimate playground status symbol
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Read previewA 16-year-old TikToker claims that her parents have spent around $3,000 buying her every Stanley cup on the market. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. The Quenchers were the most-featured item in Gen Z Christmas-haul videos on TikTok, a youth consumer-trends analyst previously told Business Insider . A shopper passes empty shelves once stocked with Stanley tumblers at a Target store in Canoga Park, California on January 9, 2024. Do you collect Stanley cups?

Persons: —, Stanley, Amelia Awad, Stanley Quencher, I'm, Stanley tumblers, Brian van der, Awad Organizations: Service, Business, Wall Street Journal, Starbucks, Hydro, Los Angeles Times, Getty Locations: Birmingham , Alabama, Canoga Park , California

☆ Having your shelves filled with Stanley tumblers is not the point of the cup
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-21 | by ( Hannah Getahun | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

America's hottest reusable water container has a sustainability problem. This story is available exclusively to Business Insider subscribers. On TikTok, influencers are showing off their shelves full of Stanley Tumblers, each in different colors. For one, as CBC News pointed out, Stanley does not offer any product recycling options. PMI Worldwide, the parent company of Stanley, did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider sent outside regular business hours.

Persons: Stanley tumblers —, Stanley Quencher H2.0, Stanley, Stanley Tumblers, Katie Notopoulos, Jessica Heiges, WSP, Heiges, Myra Hird, " Hird, Kathryn Coduto Organizations: Service, Business, CNBC, Wired, CBC, Queen's University, Boston University, PMI, Business Insider

☆ Stanley's viral cups are such a status symbol that kids are getting mocked at school for having off-brand dupes, one mom's viral TikTok says
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-12 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Stanley's "Quencher" insulated cups are a hot status symbol for kids and parents alike. One mom's viral TikTok even claims that her daughter was mocked at school for having a cheaper dupe. Dayna Motycka said in a TikTok video that she bought her daughter the $9.98 cup from Walmart for Christmas. Motycka, who herself owns a Stanley cup, said she went on to buy her daughter a $35 30-ounce white Stanley cup. "We have got to teach our kids to not make other kids feel inferior for not having the things that they have."

Persons: —, Gen Zs, Stanley, Stanley Valentine's, Casey Lewis, Dayna Motycka, Motycka, I've Organizations: Walmart, Service

☆ Stanley cup craze, explained: Why do we love these tumblers so much?
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-10 | by ( Aj Willingham | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

On social media, Stanley collectors show off shelves of their rainbow-hued, stainless steel treasures or gush over stickers and silicone doohickies to accessorize their favorite cups. It’s no secret that good marketing — largely to women, through social media — has been behind the cups’ recent surge in popularity. Empty shelves after a sold-out Stanley cup release at a California Target in January. The habitual meets the aspirational when social media posts add a shiny, new Stanley cup to a lifestyle marked by clean, responsible, well-hydrated order. It’s a favorite cup, a new cup, a go-to cup, the cup everyone is jealous of, the cup that will solve all of life’s problems and get us closer to our ideal selves.

Persons: Stanley, —, Charles Lindsey, “, Lindsey, Brian van der, Terence Reilly, it’s, “ It’s, ” Lindsey, Ricardo Torres, they’re Organizations: CNN, Stanley, University, Buffalo School of Management, ”, California Target, Los Angeles Times, Starbucks, Milwaukee, USA Locations: California, Milwaukee

☆ Hoards of people are stampeding stores to get Stanley's limited edition Valentine's Day cups, and resales are going for more than $100
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Tanya Chen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Stanley cup hype has reached new heights with its limited edition Valentine's Day drop at Target. AdvertisementStanley has just released its limited edition Valentine's Day cups — the Galentine's Day collection — and customers are stampeding Target stores to get their own. Other TikTokers captured the lines — reminiscent of Black Friday — outside several Target stores in the early morning hours before the cups were unveiled. But the chaos captured in these viral videos could also be, in part, a result of how profitable the resale market for them has become — especially for limited edition colors of its largest tumblers. Within days of its release, listings on eBay and Poshmark showed the red and pink cups going for over $100.

Persons: —, Stanley, Mikayla Barber, Barber, Stanley tumbler, TikTokers, Olds, rae dunn, Rae Dunn, There's, Casey Lewis, BI's Katie Noutopoulos Organizations: Service, Business, eBay, Poshmark

Right now, you can get some of the lowest prices ever on top-rated items with the best Stanley Cyber Monday deals. One of the best deals is 25% off the Stanley IceFlow Stainless Steel Tumbler with Straw, which is the lowest price we've seen for this model. However, many Amazon Stanley deals beat the brand's website discounts, and other retailers are also offering great savings. For the biggest deals across home, kitchen, and tech, check out our hub where we're covering all the best Cyber Monday deals. The best Stanley deals on Cyber Monday

Persons: Stanley, Amazon Stanley Organizations: Stanley, Amazon

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